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Slight Improvement

Ahh… now there we go.

Glee tee

Glee Tee

Glee Tee
Pattern: Zephyr Style pattern
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Periwinkle
Needles: Size US 3 and 5 circular needles

Still a little rippling, but I feel that this is minimal compared to what it was! I followed the pattern, and only made one change: not adding the hook-and-eye closures to the neckband. This modification makes the Glee look a lot like one of the other Zephyr patterns, Ms. Marigold, doesn’t it? I loved the way the hook-and-eye closures looked on the model, but for me it was just not practical. If I want a version with them there in the future, I will make a bigger size. The hooks pulled the neckband out of shape. I heard about the hook-and-eye tape, but did not find any at my local craft store, and I did not pursue any other routes.

Overall, I am happy with the final product. Thank you for your kind comments on the last post before I did the neckband “surgery”. The color of the yarn – and the yarn itself – were definitely the highlights of this project. I bought this yarn over a year ago at a Stitch DC sale – got a great deal and fell in love with the color.  I initially had my mind on another project for it, but I soon realized how perfect it would be for this one.  I used 4.75 of the 5 hanks I bought for the Medium (36″) size.

I am already planning more garments in this wonderful yarn. Heather told me how much she enjoyed working with it, and Eunny and I recently discussed how amazing it is… so lightweight, with a beautiful drape, and an amazing color palette. Wouldn’t this pattern be great as a cardigan too? I was thinking about a 3/4 length sleeve with the band extended to the bottom. Maybe then some hook-and-eye closures?

Decreases and Sleeve Cap

This was my first top-down pattern, and I really enjoyed it. It seemed to knit up faster for me from the top-down, and I was able to try it on in the process. I made a small cap sleeve instead of a longer short sleeve. This was a big step for me, as I am notoriously self-conscious about my arms. Hopefully I will actually wear it out of the house!

Knitting in the round is so satisfying. Sometimes, the whole seaming process really stresses me out. This garment was so easy because when I finished knitting it, there was little else to do!

Wishing you all a good weekend~ I am off to DC to help Jenna with some packing and moving…

 

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83 Responses

  1. primitivespirit

    yes, I agree. the fitting part and putting it together is very stressful. I am afraid that I will be disappointed with the result. That has happened before many times for me.

  2. Dorothy B

    Glee is beautiful and the neckline is much better. I think it would be difficult to have a sweater with hook and eye closures on all but the smallest of women. Although I think even then it wouldn’t be long before the stretching and rippling set in.

    Nothing wrong with a good set of arms. We have so many other little things we pick at about ourselves, but if we only knew how much men admire a good strong arm on a woman I think arms would be far less of an issue. Yours are quite nice.

  3. eunny

    Eek, this is so cute! Hook and eyes always seem wonderful in theory, but I think they’re really hard to make work on knitted fabric (unless it’s backed up with some kind of facing, or it’s thick and sturdy to begin with).

    It looks great on you – the cap sleeve is very summery and sweet!

  4. anne

    Looks great! I know what you mean about seaming…I’m always so panicked that I will completely ruin the sweater.

  5. Leah

    Wow! This did turn into quite the fantastic knit!! I love the subtle changes you made to make it flatter you. That is one of the things I love most about knitting my own garments! It’s a shame the hook & eye’s didn’t work out the way you wanted but in the end I think this version is even nicer!!

  6. jody

    lolly, you look beautiful in this top! i think the V is much more flattering than the closed-shut version anyway. and i couldn’t agree more about silky wool. it’s such a nice yarn to both knit and wear.

    ps – the little bit of rippling that is left — could you spritz it and steam it to tighten it up? or perhaps wet it and pin it into shape?

  7. laura

    Lovely! The neckbands and whatnot often throw me, too. This makes me fear for the eventual (I hope) finishing stage of the cardi I am working on.

    Silky Wool is a nice yarn and the finished sweater looks fabulous on you. Definitely it needs to be worn out of the house! :)

  8. Jessica

    Looks great Lolly! I really like how the heathered quality of the yarn makes it look so smooth and professional. Great job! :)

  9. melissa

    this is so cute, and looks great on you! i think i like your version better than the original. :)

  10. knittingnurse

    Yeah! Another FAB, FAB, FAB knit! Woo hoo for you!

  11. Coleen

    Really cute Lolly! You are crazy fast!

  12. Amy

    You look very sassy in it Lolly. That color makes your eyes shine.

    Amy

  13. Skylar

    Great turnaround! It looks great on you and I am proud of you for going with the short sleeved sweater. It really does look cute. I am learning that sometimes (and maybe…most times) it’s about the process. Experiencing the yarn and the knitting process(es) more than the actual wearability of an item. Sometimes I wonder if it really is just better to knit for others…

  14. Ande

    Wow! Good on you for sticking with it! It looks lovely, great colour for you! Bravo!

  15. Carrie

    Cute! I like the sleeves, and great color!

    I recently got some Silky Wool to swatch for a possible project — glad you liked it so much! I’m looking forward to experimenting with it. So pretty!

  16. Karma

    Great problem solving, Lolly. And I love that color on you! So pretty.

  17. Christy / Not Hip

    It looks cute. I can definitely see the resemblance to Ms Marigold. It is good to know about the hook and eye closures issues. I haven’t cast on my Glee yet, but I will definitely take that into consideration when deciding which size to knit. Tahnks.

  18. Liz K.

    I think the deep V vest is very hip these days, so you made a great mod. I’m actually considering this pattern all over again.

  19. KelInCal

    That looks wonderful! You did a fantastic job and you look great in it!

    I’m using the same yarn for a Clapotis and it’s so nice to work with.

  20. Lynn

    Way to persevere! The neck came out lovely and the color looks great on you.

  21. Meredith

    It looks great–I’m glad you could fix the neckline. And the color is gorgeous!

  22. yuvee

    Looks great Lolly! I like it with the mod too ;)
    How many hanks did you used? I have a pack of the yarn deep in my stash and I need some ideas.

  23. Debi

    Isn’t it funny how one woman’s nightmare is another woman’s dream? I HATE knitting in the round! It’s just too much fabric flopping around to be enjoyable for me (and my wrists!) I love the miracle that is mattress stitch and finishing is not a chore for me at all!

    The sweater looks so lovely on you Lolly! It’s your *perfect* color and the shape is very nice on you.

    I love Silky Wool! I just finished Ruben with it last December and I miss every stitch!

  24. Leslie

    Beautiful knitting – and you are so thin!!!!! Love the colour

  25. amanda cathleen

    glee looks lovely on you! good call on the hook and eye closure. lovely blue color too. :)

  26. MJ

    Very nicely done, Lolly. It doesn’t need a closure at all. I’m all for top-down sweaters too!

  27. Melissa

    It looks so great!!

  28. jacqueline

    glee looks beautiful on you lolly! well done!! how good does it feel when you finish a project and it comes out so perfect.

  29. pamela wynne

    Fabulous color on you, and the cap sleeves are great!

    I also think the shape of the neckline w/o the closures is super flattering for your, um … bust … area…

  30. Avice

    Worth the effort!!!

  31. Heather

    Yes, seeming is a mega drag. Personally I’m done with it! Your Glee looks fantastic!

  32. Jen

    It looks fantastic! So glad the neckband is behaving better now. :)

    What a great project to finish in time for spring!

  33. Michelle

    It looks amazing on you! I’m very self-conscious about my arms too, but yours look fine with the sweater.

  34. Specs

    I love knitting in the round for the exact same reasons.

    That color looks great on you!

  35. Gena

    It looks fantastic! The color is perfect for you, and I like your new sleeves better than the pattern.

  36. Liz

    Foxy! What a great look for you!

  37. knittingphilistine

    Looks down right gorgeous to me!

  38. Jenna Pink Monkey

    Did you leave this window open on my computer so I’d come and leave a comment first thing? :) The top looks beautiful, just like you. I’m deeply grateful for your help and company today. Our time together is a pleasure I’ll truly miss.

  39. Hillary

    Glee looks grand. I think that the neckline surgery was well worth it. Enjoy!

  40. elise

    definitely a noticeable improvement over the first attempt. looks great.

  41. Ruth

    Much better neckline. Looks fabulous, in fact!

  42. isel

    You must have tons of patience, which is a good thing because it all paid off in the end. It looks great on you.

  43. vera

    ah, it looks even better now. love that colour on you. :0)

  44. Sue

    Oh what a great improvement, and at least you were able to fix it and not have to rip it all out again. I hate it when you make something and it doesnt go the way you envisioned. I would not worry about your arms either, you maybe just paranoid but I think it looks great on you.

  45. Knittypants

    Oh, this is so cute. I like it so much more than the buttoned up version I have seen. Looks so much more flattering I think this way.

  46. Kristen

    It looks so much better!
    My husband looked over from his computer right when I was reading this post, and said, “HELLO. How YOU doin?”
    So that means it looks really good :)

  47. tiennie

    Ahh Lolly! You always look so great in your fabulous knits!

  48. Annie

    It’s very pretty, Lolly!

  49. Kelly

    It looks beautiful on you! Great job!

  50. sharon

    That’s a great colour on you! And it’s a very flattering top too.

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